The Lakewood Community Council News
From Kay Barcroft
The Lakewood Community Council would like to thank all those who helped to provide a special gift to our neighbors in need. Churches, businesses, schools, clubs and individuals in our area joined to make Christmas a little more plentiful for 145 low-income families in our area.
The SPYS always come through for us on delivery day! We sincerely appreciate the generosity of the Lakewood community that has made these Christmas Baskets possible for over 50 years!
Thank you very much! We wish all of the Lakewood Community a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Announcing A New Program For Area Veterans
A short time ago, local resident, Sara Knight, approached the SPY’s and requested our help in getting the word out and promoting a new program that was starting up in the area for Veterans suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
The purpose of this new program is to help Veterans who suffer from PTSD, or just need someone to talk to. In many cases it is not easy to talk to family and friends because they can’t relate on the same level. This is important because so many veterans feel alone and don’t have someone to turn to. As a result, a number resort of drugs and/or alcohol.
This program creates a safe environment for Veterans to talk; vent; and meet new people who have been through similar situations. They can keep it as simple as coming to a group meeting once a week, or the program will be offering sessions with licensed therapists (located in Ionia) to do private sessions with each individual called EDMR.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR, is multi-phase form of therapy. It is based on the theory of information processing. Information processing theory says multiple elements (thoughts, feelings, images) of an experience are stored as memories in accessible and useful forms in the brain. However since emotions and cognitions are stored in different places in the brain…. what you know and what you feel are sometimes very different!
Thus, EMDR sessions focus on reprocessing the information associated with past, present or future experiences that are experienced in an overly emotional or negative way. These targeted experiences are often associated with pathologies such as phobias, panic disorder, PTSD and depression.
There are so many times that the VA doesn’t provide enough support for our Veterans. The mission of this program is to support and help as many local Veterans as possible.
Here is some basic information about the program:
· Meetings will be held in the Sunfield or Woodland area.
· Individual therapy sessions are to be held in Ionia.
· This program is open to all Veterans suffering from PTSD.
· There is no cost to a Veteran. It is hoped that through private donations and fund-raisers the costs associated with the meetings and therapist will be covered.
· The time involved will be from 1 to 2 hours per week.
· For further information please contact Sara Knight at
269-876-6489.
Contributions
John & Sandra Fisher made a donation to the Scholarship Fund in memory of David Beach who was the SPY’s past president in
1997 & 1998.
Parting Comments
· Deep Thought of the Week: Common sense is not a gift---it’s a punishment. Because, you have to deal with everyone who doesn’t have it.
· Notable Quote: “My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth.”---Abraham Lincoln
· That’s Puny Department: I went to this horrible bar called The Fiddle. It really was a vile inn.
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